Projector with cooling system

Abstract

A projector includes a light source device configured to emit light, a light modulator configured to modulate the light emitted from the light source device in accordance with an image signal, a projection optical device configured to project the light modulated by the light modulator, and a cooler configured to cool a cooling target based on transformation of a refrigerant into a gas. The cooler includes a refrigerant generator configured to generate the refrigerant and a refrigerant sender configured to send the generated refrigerant toward the cooling target.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A projector comprising:
 a light source device configured to emit light; 
 a light modulator configured to modulate the light emitted from the light source device in accordance with an image signal; 
 a projection optical device configured to project the light modulated by the light modulator; and 
 a cooler configured to cool a cooling target based on transformation of a liquid refrigerant into a gas refrigerant, the cooler including:
 a refrigerant generator configured to generate the refrigerant by separating moisture from ambient air and generating water from the separated moisture as the liquid refrigerant, and 
 a refrigerant sender configured to send the generated liquid refrigerant toward the cooling target. 
 
 
     
     
       2. A projector comprising:
 a light source device configured to emit light; 
 a light modulator configured to modulate the light emitted from the light source device in accordance with an image signal; 
 a projection optical device configured to project the light modulated by the light modulator; and 
 a cooler configured to cool a cooling target based on transformation of a refrigerant into a gas, the cooler including:
 a refrigerant generator configured to generate the refrigerant, the refrigerant generator including:
 a moisture absorbing/discharging member configured to rotate, 
 a first air blower configured to deliver air to a first portion of the moisture absorbing/discharging member in a first region of the moisture absorbing/discharging member, 
 a heat exchanger connected to the refrigerant sender, 
 a heater configured to heat a second portion of the moisture absorbing/discharging member in a second region of the moisture absorbing/discharging member different from the first region of the moisture absorbing/discharging member, and 
 a second air blower configured to deliver air that has heated the second portion of the moisture absorbing/discharging member to the heat exchanger; and 
 
 a refrigerant sender configured to send the generated refrigerant toward the cooling target; 
 
 wherein the heat exchanger generates the refrigerant from the air having flowed into the heat exchanger by cooling the air having flowed into the heat exchanger. 
 
     
     
       3. The projector according to  claim 2 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured to be cooled by air exhausted from the first air blower and that has passed through the moisture absorbing/discharging member. 
     
     
       4. The projector according to  claim 2 , wherein the first air blower delivers air to the cooling target. 
     
     
       5. The projector according to  claim 2 , wherein the refrigerant generator has a circulation path along which the air exhausted from the second air blower circulates, and the circulation path passes through the moisture absorbing/discharging member and the heat exchanger. 
     
     
       6. The projector according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the second air blower is configured to blow air through the second portion of the moisture absorbing/discharging member to deliver the air to the heat exchanger, and 
 the heat exchanger includes:
 a heating main body configured to heat the air before passing through the second portion of the moisture absorbing/discharging member, and 
 the second air blower. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The projector according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the heater is configured to transmit heat from the light source device to the second portion of the moisture absorbing/discharging member, 
 the second air blower is configured to blow air through the second portion of the moisture absorbing/discharging member to deliver the air to the heat exchanger, 
 the refrigerant generator includes a first duct through which the air flows before passing through the second portion of the moisture absorbing/discharging member, the heater includes:
 a heat sink exposing an interior of the first duct and an exterior of the first duct, and 
 the second air blower, and 
 
 the heat sink is configured to be heated by the heat from the light source device. 
 
     
     
       8. The projector according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the heater is configured to transmit heat from the light source device to heat the second portion of the moisture absorbing/discharging member, and 
 the heater includes a heat pipe connected to the light source device. 
 
     
     
       9. The projector according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the heater is configured to transmit heat from the light source device to heat the second portion of the moisture absorbing/discharging member, 
 the second air blower is configured to blow air through the second portion of the moisture absorbing/discharging member to deliver the air to the heat exchanger, 
 the refrigerant generator includes a first duct through which the air flows before passing through the second portion of the moisture absorbing/discharging member, 
 the first duct includes a metal section, 
 the heater includes the metal section of the first duct and the second air blower, and 
 the metal section is configured to receive the heat from the light source device. 
 
     
     
       10. The projector according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the refrigerant generator includes a driving force converter configured to generate a driving force that rotates the moisture absorbing/discharging member based on an air flow, and 
 the driving force converter includes a vane disposed on the moisture absorbing/discharging member. 
 
     
     
       11. The projector according to  claim 2 , wherein the refrigerant generator includes a driver configured to rotate the moisture absorbing/discharging member. 
     
     
       12. The projector according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the heat exchanger includes a flow passage section through which the air flows, and 
 the flow passage section includes a plurality of tubular pipes extending in a first direction, the flow passage section being cooled by a cooling medium flowing in a second direction at a point on the flow passage section where the flow passage section has the smallest cross-sectional area with respect to the first direction. 
 
     
     
       13. A projector comprising:
 a light source device configured to emit light; 
 a light modulator configured to modulate the light emitted from the light source device in accordance with an image signal; 
 a projection optical device configured to project the light modulated by the light modulator; and 
 a cooler configured to cool a cooling target based on transformation of a refrigerant into a gas, the cooler including:
 a refrigerant generator configured to generate the refrigerant, and 
 a refrigerant sender configured to send the generated refrigerant toward the cooling target, 
 
 wherein the refrigerant generator includes:
 a thermoelectric device having a heat absorbing surface and a heat radiating surface, 
 a first heat exchanger connected to the heat absorbing surface of the thermoelectric device and the refrigerant sender, the first heat exchanger being configured to condense water vapor in air to generate the refrigerant; 
 a second heat exchanger connected to the heat radiating surface, and 
 a third air blower configured to cool the second heat exchanger and cool the cooling target. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The projector according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the cooling target includes a light modulation unit including the light modulator and a hollow first holder configured to hold the light modulator, 
 the refrigerant sender includes a second duct having an interior that communicates with an interior of the first holder and is configured to send the refrigerant to the interior of the first holder via the second duct, and 
 the air delivered from the third air blower is delivered from the interior of the first holder to the interior of the second duct. 
 
     
     
       15. The projector according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 the first heat exchanger is disposed in the interior of the second duct, and 
 the second heat exchanger is disposed on an exterior of the second duct. 
 
     
     
       16. The projector according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 a plurality of protruding sections are arranged on an inner surface of the second duct, and 
 the refrigerant sender sends the refrigerant based on a capillarity occurring in gaps between the plurality of protruding sections. 
 
     
     
       17. A projector comprising:
 a light source device configured to emit light; 
 a light modulator configured to modulate the light emitted from the light source device in accordance with an image signal; 
 a projection optical device configured to project the light modulated by the light modulator; and 
 a cooler configured to cool a cooling target based on transformation of a refrigerant into a gas, the cooler including:
 a refrigerant generator configured to generate the refrigerant, and 
 a refrigerant sender configured to send the generated refrigerant toward the cooling target; the refrigerant sender being configured to send the refrigerant based on capillarity, and the refrigerant sender includes a porous connector connecting the refrigerant generator to the cooling target. 
 
 
     
     
       18. A projector comprising:
 a light source device configured to emit light; 
 a light modulator configured to modulate the light emitted from the light source device in accordance with an image signal; 
 a projection optical device configured to project the light modulated by the light modulator; 
 a cooler configured to cool a cooling target based on transformation of a refrigerant into a gas, the cooler including:
 a refrigerant generator configured to generate the refrigerant, and 
 a refrigerant sender configured to send the generated refrigerant toward the cooling target; and 
 
 a refrigerant holder disposed on the cooling target and configured to hold the refrigerant, the refrigerant holder being porous and attached to a surface of the cooling target, and at least part of the refrigerant holder is exposed when viewed from a refrigerant holder side in a layering direction in which the cooling target and the refrigerant holder are layered on each other. 
 
     
     
       19. The projector according to  claim 18 , further comprising a fixing member fixing the refrigerant holder such that the fixing member and the second holder sandwich the refrigerant holder in the layering direction, wherein:
 the cooling target includes a light modulation unit including the light modulator and a second holder holding the light modulator, 
 the refrigerant holder is attached to a surface of the second holder, 
 part of the refrigerant holder is exposed when viewed from a fixing member side in the layering direction. 
 
     
     
       20. The projector according to  claim 19 , wherein:
 the refrigerant holder is disposed on a surface of the second holder on a light incident side of the light modulator, and 
 the fixing member includes a frame section surrounding an edge portion of an image formation region of the light modulator. 
 
     
     
       21. The projector according to  claim 19 , wherein the refrigerant holder is disposed on a surface of the second holder on the light incident side of the light modulator and on a surface of the second holder on a light exit side of the light modulator. 
     
     
       22. The projector according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a plurality of light modulation units including the light modulation unit; 
 a plurality of refrigerant holders including the refrigerant holder; and 
 a porous linkage section, 
 wherein:
 a refrigerant holder of the plurality of refrigerant holders is disposed in each light modulation unit of the plurality of light modulation units, 
 the linkage section is configured to link the plurality of refrigerant holders to one another, and 
 the linkage section has a coating. 
 
 
     
     
       23. A projector comprising:
 a light source device configured to emit light; 
 a light modulator configured to modulate the light emitted from the light source device in accordance with an image signal; 
 a projection optical device configured to project the light modulated by the light modulator; 
 a cooler configured to cool a cooling target based on transformation of a refrigerant into a gas, the cooler including:
 a refrigerant generator configured to generate the refrigerant, and 
 a refrigerant sender configured to send the generated refrigerant toward the cooling target; and 
 
 a plurality of refrigerant holders disposed on the cooling target and configured to hold the refrigerant, the plurality of refrigerant holders protruding from a surface of the cooling target and arranged with gaps between adjacent refrigerant holders of the plurality of refrigerant holders. 
 
     
     
       24. The projector according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling target includes at least one of the light modulator, the light modulation unit including the light modulator, the light source device, a wavelength conversion element configured to convert a wavelength of the light emitted from the light source device, a diffuser element configured to diffuse the light emitted from the light source device, and a polarization conversion element configured to convert a polarization direction of the light emitted from the light source device.